Back to Black, Date Night, and other escapades...

Oi pessoas! This has been a busy week, as always, but I have been making some fashion efforts and taking pictures...here are a few updates!!

First of all, my hair no longer is multicolored (well, not as multicolored as before). I went from this:

Notice the ladybug MAC lipstick

to this:

Color in a bottle: Softsheen Carlson Natural Black. The hair is styled in a twistout.

The dye did not cover all of my gray spots and there is still some reddish brown in parts of my hair, but for the most part it is jet black, which I love. I think the color makes me look a little older, but I still prefer it to the lighter color(s) that I had before. Black makes my curls shine more and I like glossy hair.

So, I went out on a date last week too. We met in trendy Royal Oak and went on a coffee run. We sampled Turkish and Arabic coffee. I preferred the Arabic...it was sweet with a hint of nutmeg. It was a first date with a guy I met online, and I wanted to be cute, but comfortable, so I settled on this outfit:

shirtdress: Mossimo, Target; leggings: NY&C; belt:  NY&C; flats: Bandolino; purse: Kathy VanZeeland; earrings and necklace: indigenous Brazilian vendor (made from guava seeds)

As you can see, red tones are becoming my new signature. I have so much black and brown in my wardrobe, and red is a useful way to jazz it up a bit, especially with my raven hair.

errand running outfit...I really need to deal with my lopsided hair!!!

work meeting outfit: dress: Merona, Target; shoes: Naturalizer; purse: Vittorio, Las Vegas vendor

I also recently got to spend some quality time with my bestie, Y. I need to check to see if I can put her beautiful photo up, but here is mine:

shirt: Express; skirt: Ivete, Brazilian department store; purse: see above

; shoes:

The skirt was a bit short, especially considering that my legs are not a toned as I would like. But I am working on that. In the meantime, I think I will not wear this skirt again until I can wear tights (or I trim the fat, whichever comes first).

We went out for fondue and then watched Eat, Pray, Love. I have some things to say about that movie and the book, but I will post on my other blog and then link here, so stay tuned.

I have an orientation at my son's school to go to, but other than that, I have no other engagements until Friday (another date, different guy) so I will post that date night outfit then....peace!!!

Last Days is Brazil; First Days in Michigan

Drummer at the Cultural Festival in Salvador

And I'm back!!! I have been getting settled into life in the States for the past....week and a half, maybe?, and I am LOVING IT!!!! I really missed home; there is no place like it. I realize more and more how much I need structure in my life....globetrotting can be fun, but in small doses. And I am staying on this side of the border for a while (at least the next few months)...

My townhome is a hot mess, but it is coming around; I will have some "decor" and clothes based pictures to share soon, but for now, here are a few of my last days in Brazil and my first days back home....

Me and a few of my students

I spent the last week in Brazil finishing up things with the group of students that I was working with. It was hard to say goodbye, but I know that they will do well and at least three of them will be coming to the U.S. in the next year for undergraduate study. The organization that the class was part of had a cultural festival during my last weekend, so I attended and got to see some of the students perform (I will have to add those youtube videos later). I also was reminded of the great times that I had during Carnival (ooh, those pics should go up too....I will link to them later).

All female drum troupe...if I was from Salvador, I would SO be part of this group...reminds me of my days as a cultural performer...

Hanging out with one of my students

Crowd scene: There was a mini samba circle going on, plus, I was trying to take some candid natural hair shots....such beautiful people!!!

Exactly one week later, I had my own party to throw in the USA....my son, F's, 13th birthday!! I decided to just do something simple at the local park (I grew up going to this park and its really close to our new place) and invite all the kids we know (cousins and friends). We sat all day waiting for folk to arrive...I said the party was going to be from 1-5 and do you know most folk did not show up until after 4pm!!!! CPT is NOT cool, y'all!! I was a bit miffed, but my son was just happy to be around his folks that he did not complain (too much)...

F. and I throwing the football around

These cuties were NOT hours late! Thanks Y!!

Women's group doing the hustle....everybody hustles in Detroit

He should model, in my motherly opinion...

My little cousins....THEY were hours late, thanks, T. (I need a side eye smiley here)

He is almost as tall as me (amazon that I am..)

The next day, mom, dad, son, and I headed up to the E.L.C. (East Lansing) to complete my transition from mid-Michigan to Southeastern Michigan. I got my stuff out of storage and my dad and F. brought it to the townhome in a Uhaul (we had movers on each end of the trip load and unload the stuff....dad is in great shape, but at 60, refuses to lift furniture when he can pay others to do so....well I paid, but he would of if I needed him too...once a daddy's girl, always a daddy's girl).

My guys...they both have to same "will you hurry up" look on their faces, don't they?

So now all of that stuff that was in storage is strewn around my house....this weekend I hope to have a great portion of it put away...I need to purge too, but the excess is in the basement for now. Gotta get it together, cause, technically, I start work next week....now, when do I get my first paycheck....?